THIRUVANANTHAPURAM,
DEC. 19.
The office-bearers of the Kerala and Mahatma Gandhi University unions have demanded the immediate intervention of authorities of both the universities to ensure that elections to the student unions in the colleges affiliated to them are conducted without further delay.

At a press conference here today, A.A. Rahim, chairman, Kerala University Union and Gagar Korah and Prakash Babu, chairman and general secretary, respectively, of the Mahatma Gandhi University Union, accused the managements of sabotaging the election process.

Even though elections had been scheduled in all colleges under the University of Kerala on December 17, only in 11 colleges were they actually held. In the other colleges elections could not be conducted, as the managements had devised a new system, which the students boycotted.

Unilateral action

In the Mahatma Gandhi University, elections have been scheduled on December 22. However, if the managements were to go ahead with a system that was unilateral and in violation of the notification issued by the University, the outcome would be the same as in the University of Kerala, they warned.

The adamant attitude of the managements would lead to chaos on the campuses, besides denying democratic rights to the students.

Further, any delay in holding the elections to the college unions would adversely affect the functioning of the university unions.

Cultural events, including youth festivals that provided students a platform to explore and also exhibit their talents, would also be a major casualty, they pointed out.

The leaders wanted the State Government to clarify its stance on this issue and also to rein in the managements of colleges throwing to winds the guidelines specified by the universities.